Need a Yes or No Answer? Ask a Horary Question!

© 4-26-2015 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 Horary astrology is an ancient branch of our field, but it’s thriving today because in our uncertain times, many of us need a clear-cut answer for the dilemmas we face.  So much is at stake that relying on guesswork and supposition can lead us to make huge mistakes.

How horary works is that you first think through the specific question that will lead to the answer you seek. It needs to be answerable by yes or no—for example, “Would it be in my best interest to take this bid on my house?”  The horary practitioner will work with you to word the question, and when it’s clearly formed, a chart is erected for that exact moment. The answers to the question are in the chart.

So why is this ancient technique becoming popular now? Among other things that Uranus rules is the field of astrology itself. I’ve watched the distinct changes of direction in our field as Uranus has gone through each sign from Virgo all the way to Aries. What I observe about astrology under Uranus in Aries so far is that large segments of the public seem to demand and to expect quick and easy answers from us.

A great many of them have no patience with psychological or spiritual astrology. Typically, they aren’t looking for insight about the part they play in the difficult situations they find themselves in; they just want to know how to get the outcome they desire.

What Does a Horary Chart Do that a Regular Chart Does Not?

Mind you, horary astrology doesn’t guarantee an easy answer to our problems in this complex time when there are few easy answers to be found. However, what it does provide is a decisive yes or no answer to a clearly-phrased question. In the hands of an experienced and gifted horary practitioner, there will also be a wealth of details about the situation that shed light on the answer to the question. It’s especially useful in dealing with financial decisions, life style changes and real estate questions.

Another advantage, for those who aren’t sure what time they were born, is that YOUR TIME OF BIRTH IS NOT NEEDED FOR THIS BRANCH OF ASTROLOGY! 

So why don’t I practice this technique myself?  Later you’ll find a link to the story of a variety of mishaps and unusual experiences I had when I ventured to try doing it myself. It boils down to one compelling reason: my natal Uranus!

Over the centuries that this technique has been in use, the experts have come up with a hundred or more rules about how to interpret these charts. My natal Uranus forms aspects to my Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Midheaven and all the rest of the planets except Mercury, PLUS is the lead and Alpha planet in my Gemini stellium. As an extreme Uranian type, just how many of those 100+ rules do you think I could abide by?  Nope, I leave it to the experts!

So Where Do I Look for the Horary Answers I Need?

There are many experienced horary astrologers out there, so look at their sites to get a sense of whether their style fits your needs. For myself, I have never felt the need to look further for quality and clarity than to my esteemed colleague and friend, Diana Stone. 

She has more than 40 years of experience as a practicing astrologer, and for decades has studied and continues to study the techniques of the great horary astrologers of the ages. I turn to her whenever I have to make a major decision, and the detailed answers she provides have been so astonishingly correct that I take her advice very seriously.

I don’t want to go into the crucial personal questions she’s answered through a horary chart, but will give just one less private example.  A couple of years back I had been invited to speak at the NORWAC conference in nearby Seattle.

I wanted to go in order to share the information I had researched on stelliums and to promote The Stellium Handbook.  However, as I’ve gotten well into my 70s, my stamina is easily depleted and I have mobility issues, so I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to go. It was clear to me that this would have to be my last in-person appearance at a conference.

Diana studied the horary chart intensely, as she always does, and she concluded it would be a great trip for me, that I’d be very well received and would enjoy reuniting with colleagues. 

Her one concern, and she repeated it several times, was that I needed to watch my luggage very closely or important things would go missing.

This warning worried me, as I planned to take the train to Seattle, a beautiful and affordable four hour ride through forests and hills along the water. There’s lots of foot room on a train, and I could go to the snack bar if I wanted.  The one trouble is that my luggage would not be securely stowed by me, and so it could easily be robbed.

Eventually, I decided to ride with one friend up there and another set of friends coming back, so I felt better about that warning. I was careful about what I took along on the trip and watched my purse closely the whole conference. I tucked my good jewelry deep under the mattress, and, after all this was a very classy hotel, so you’d think you could trust the staff.

I was so exhausted by the end of the conference that I assumed the little bag of my most precious jewelry was in my luggage. When I got home and was rested enough to unpack, the bag was gone.  When I called the hotel management, they checked lost and found and my hotel room, but found nothing.  My treasures were gone for good, and once again, Diana was uncannily accurate.

For more information about Diana Stone and her work, go to: www.dianastone.com. She specializes in horary astrology.  Read a complete suite about how horary works, some excellent case examples, and how you can consult her with your questions. See feedback from her clients here: Letters from Horary Clients and Horary Case Studies. 

For the stories of the strange events and potholes in the road when I tried doing it myself, see this post:  Horary Happenings—Why I’m a Believer, Not a Practitioner.

What about you, Readers? Do you have any good stories about horary charts?  Share them in the comment section below this post, and if you want those stories to come to you by email, put a check in the box below your comment.